There are no related applications.
The invention disclosed and claimed herein was not made under any federally sponsored research and development program.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an arrow point for attachment to an arrow used in target practise.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although the present invention is not limited to arrows used in high energy compound bows, it is noted that such high energy compound bows may fire arrows at speeds in excess of 300 feet per second. While targets made of dense foam or banded layers of foam have been found effective to halt the flight of such arrows, it has been found that retracting the arrow from such targets is difficult and also that the targets leave a residue on the arrow that needs to be removed before the arrow is used again.
There have been various approaches to facilitating arrow removal from targets. For example, lubricants have been applied to the arrow points and shafts to facilitate removal. Certain such lubricants are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,440 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,685. Another approach to facilitate arrow removal is embodied in an arrow point sold by Precision Design Products. This design includes an arrow point which is oversized and chamfered on the backside to enhance arrow removal from targets. A further approach is an arrow point sold by Bohning Archery under the xe2x80x9cZ Pointxe2x80x9d trademark. This arrow point includes a tapered design to ease arrow shaft removal from foam targets and also includes an O-ring collar located behind a shoulder of the tip portion for maintaining the arrow point tight within the arrow shaft while the bow is being fired.
While not concerned with facilitating arrow removal from a target, U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,199 shows a composite arrow point comprising a weight collar located behind a shoulder of a point body containing the tip portion. The purpose of the weight collar is to produce a tuning arrow having the same weight and balance point as the arrows to be shot from the bow during normal shooting. U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,156, while again not being concerned with facilitating arrow removal, includes an arrow point of a contoured exterior configuration to allow the arrow to enter the target in a smooth and unobtrusive manner.
According to the present invention, an arrow includes a point having a self lubricating collar for facilitating removal of the arrow from a target. The arrow point is screwed into the arrow shaft or glued in the arrow shaft.
In a first embodiment of the arrow point, the arrow point includes a steel tip having a head portion, an intermediate portion and a threaded portion. The threaded portion is screwed into a threaded bore in an insert in the arrow shaft. The outer diameter of the head portion tapers rearwardly to its largest diameter at a shoulder of the head portion. A self lubricating collar extends around the intermediate portion of the tip and is compressed in place on the tip when the threaded portion of the tip is screwed into the threaded bore of the insert in the arrow shaft. The outer diameter of the self lubricating collar is greatest at its junction with the underside of the head portion shoulder and decreases as it extends rearwardly until it is the same as the outer diameter of the arrow shaft.
In a second embodiment of the arrow point, the previously described tip includes a stud instead of the intermediate portion and threaded portion, and the stud is glued into an insert in the arrow shaft. In all other respects, the first and second embodiments are the same.
It has been found that the arrow points of the present invention reduce the friction between the arrow and the target when the arrow is removed from the target thus facilitating the removal of the arrow from the target. In addition, because the lubricating collar of the present invention replaces the annular section behind the head portion of certain prior art arrow points, and because the lubricating collar is formed of plastic whereas the annular section of such prior art arrow points was typically formed of steel, the arrow point of the present invention will be lighter than those prior art arrow points. Furthermore, the lubricating collar of the first embodiment of the present invention is compressed into the insert and functions as a lock washer to secure the arrow point to the arrow shaft, when the arrow point is screwed into the insert.
Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes more clearly understood by references to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof.